Phrase initial accent I in South Swedish

The topic of this paper is the variability of pitch realisation of phrase-initial accent I. In our study we have observed a difference in variability for the varieties investigated. Central Swedish pitch patterns for phrase-initial accent I both to the East (Stockholm) and to the West (Gothenburg) display an apparent constancy, albeit with distinct patterns: East Central Swedish rising and West Central Swedish fall-rise. In South Swedish, the corresponding pitch patterns can be described as more variable. The falling default accentual pitch pattern in the South is dominating in the majority of the sub-varieties examined, even if a rising pattern and a fall-rise are not uncommon here. There seems to be a difference in geographical distribution, so that towards northeast within the South Swedish region the percentage of a rising pattern has increased, while there is a corresponding tendency for the fall-rise to be a more a frequent pattern towards northwest. The occurrence of the rising pattern of initial accent I in South Swedish could be seen as an influence from and adaptation to East Central Swedish, and the fall-rise as an adaptation to West Swedish intonation.